Key Account Management & Planning (KAMP) – Organizational Coaching

Introduction

This coaching programme is aimed at supporting the organisation in adopting a Key Account Management model that must inevitably be adapted to the Client’s context: see below the general lines.

The KAMP (Key Account Management & Planning) is a model designed by tibicon to support to the overall management of the customer portfolio.

The purposes of the KAMP model are the following:

• increase in customer loyalty, turnover and profitability;
• efficient and effective management of the relationship with customers that offer a more significant contribution to turnover/profitability;
• increase awareness of the quality and quantity of the Key Accounts and the portfolio risk;
• encourage the distribution of customer knowledge scattered throughout the Company to establish a plan for the management and development of the Key Account.

Identification of Key Accounts

Portfolio analysis will be carried out to identify the Key Accounts the Company intends to focus on. The analysis will take into consideration the following factors:

• contribution to total turnover at a specific date;
• risk of turnover and impact on the overall market position of the company;
• potential in terms of turnover and profitability.

The analysis of the market sector will be essential to identify the key elements and implement appropriate strategies.

The Account Team

The drafting, management and maintenance of the Key Account Plan are carried out by a team that includes the following company roles:

• the Key Account manager, who is responsible for the customer turnover and the business relationship;
• the market manager, who is responsible for marketing and strategic issues;
• people from different backgrounds (technical, production, legal, accounting, credits and other), called upon to provide contributions on specific aspects.

Key Account Management and Planning: the process

1 – Analysis of the market segment and overall scenario

• The KAMP starts with the collection of information needed by the Account Team to develop the knowledge/awareness of the competitive scenario in the customer’s market.
• The sources of information can be:
  • external sources (websites, databases, other);
  • internal sources (people and business functions that have accumulated knowledge of the customer);
  • experts in the specific market.
• The collection of information takes place through different means:
  • desk research;
  • internal meetings;
  • meetings of various kinds with experts in the market segment.

2 – Analysis of strengths and weaknesses (SWOT) of the Key Account

• This step puts the customer and the specific market in close relation, paying particular attention to competitive positioning.
• The information collected is structured to be readable even by people who do not belong to the Account Team.

3 – Analysis of Key Account potential

• This phase focuses on the Key Account potential and its characteristics, comparing them to similar customers and paying close attention to the needs expressed/unexpressed needs.
• Analyse the customer’s budget and the share of it we can win.
• Identify the Key Account organizational by focusing on:
  • the company functions that are potential users of the products/services/solutions we offer;
  • decision-making processes and purchasing responsibilities.

4 – Company SWOT analysis versus the Key Account

• Once identified the demand and its characteristics, it is necessary to place our offer in this context.
• The analysis provides information about our offering to meet demand and support the Key Accounts plans, with attention to our positioning toward competitors in existing and potential business.

5 -Definition of the sales strategy

• The Account Team establishes the sales strategy, which will guide the action during the plan: this point, often overlooked, is fundamental to give efficiency and effectiveness to the sale action.
• It is mandatory, therefore, to identify a panel of products/services/solutions on which to base the sales plan.

6 – The sales plan

• It covers a period of 18-24 months and represents:
  • a guide for the Account Team;
  • a tool for the capitalisation of existing knowledge of the customer;
  • a point of reference for top management.
• The sales plan also aims to identify the best estimate for
  • the turnover and profitability that the Key Account can express;
  • the Customers functions involved;
  • investments and the related ROI.

7 – The sales plan review: a continuous process

• The KAMP method steps create a circular process to update the action plan, keep the sales action alive, and update the knowledge of the customer.
• For the success of KAMP, it is essential that collaboration, exchange of information and knowledge represent organic practices for the Account Team members.